Camp…The Way Life Should Be!

Our campers have a saying: “Camp life means living 11 months for 1.” Throughout the year, the countdown shrinks and shrinks until we are finally reunited on the shores of Crescent Lake waiting with great anticipation for Roger’s famous words: “What a beautiful day in the state of Maine today!” And, as Roger explains to our first time camp families, this statement has nothing to do with the weather, but rather the appreciation for where we are, who we’re with and how much fun we’re going to share!

 

We’ve already hit the ground running.  After Monday’s Arrival and Tuesday’s Moose Stomp Day, Wednesday was our first “A” Day of the summer, and everyone was thrilled. From the Fields to the Theater, Crescent Lake to the Culinary Center, Equestrian Center to the Arts Studio…the sounds of campers laughing, singing and cheering reminds us each day of how lucky we are to be here. Our 6th Grade boys were the first to head out on an overnight camping trip, having left on Thursday.  This morning, our awesome CITs will head to the Kennebec River for their  White Water Rafting trip, while our 8th Graders are off to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor!  We’ll miss them while they’re gone, but seeing their smiles when they return and hearing their fantastic stories make it all worthwhile!

As you can probably tell, the action is in full swing at Laurel South!  We’ll keep you updated on the goings-on in Casco in future blogs. Until then, rest assured that it’s always a beautiful day in the state of Maine!

Welcome to Laurel South 2019!

As each summer ends, we tell ourselves not to be sad the current summer ended, but rather to be excited because the countdown to next summer has officially begun. And while it may seem like yesterday we bade farewell to our summer home, it’s with incredible excitement we say: “Welcome to Laurel South Summer 2019!”

From the back-to-school days of the fall, through Thanksgiving and the Winter holidays…from the turning of the calendar to the flowers blooming in Spring…from arriving at Pre-Camp to Staff Orientation…the excitement and enthusiasm builds to a crescendo that culminates today with the arrival of 400 of the greatest campers in the world!

Our staff had an amazingly fun and productive Orientation week, and they’re thrilled to welcome our campers from 27 states and 17 countries! For the next 3 ½ weeks, we’ll have a ball. From the ballfields to the waterfront, equestrian center to the theater, adventure to arts, out camp family will have the opportunity to form friendships and create memories that will last a lifetime. We’ll unplug in one of the most beautiful settings.

We’ll blog all summer to keep you current on all the fun in Maine. As Roger frequently says: “It’s a beautiful day in the state of Maine today!”

Staff Orientation is Here!

We’re sailing, climbing and hiking our way to summer: one training at a time. We’ve welcomed our Campus Leaders, Area Directors, Adventure, Waterski, Equestrian and Sailing staff to camp… as well as our international staff members. Our full staff arrived yesterday, and the excitement for Staff Orientation is off the charts! For returners it’s a great week to re-connect with colleagues, and introduce our new staff members to all of the traditions that help make Laurel South our summer home!

For the next week, staff members will learn about both aspects of their job:  living with and taking care of campers, and also planning and working in a program area.  Both roles are equally important to help accomplish our mission each summer: to help campers build friendships while creating lifelong memories. Of course, the crescendo of excitement culminates on the 24th, when we welcome the best campers anywhere!